Archaeology & Paleontology

Oldest primate fossils found (Bangkok Post, Jan. 7)

Did We Mate Or Murder Neanderthals? Scientists Say Modern Humans' More Varied Lifestyle May Have Been Key To Survival (CBS News, Jan. 7)

Fossil tracks record 'oldest land-walkers' (BBC News, Jan. 6)

Viral phenomenon: Ancient microbe invaded human DNA (Yahoo/AFP, Jan. 6)

Tombs Reveal More On Egypt's Middle Class (redOrbit, Jan. 6)

Environment

E.P.A. Seeks Stricter Rules to Curb Smog (N.Y. Times, Jan. 7) Site requires free registration

Sea stars suck up carbon (Nature News, Jan. 7)

Oceans release DDT from decades ago (Nature News, Jan. 7)

Methane release 'looks stronger' (BBC News, Jan. 6)

Highway Barriers Stifle Pollution (ENN, Jan. 6)

Growing demand for soybeans threatens Amazon rainforest (ENN, Jan. 6)

US Car Fleet Shrinks for First Time (ENN, Jan. 6)

Exploration & Adventure

Explorer brings trip to a triumphant end (Thisiskent.co.uk, Jan. 8)

Expedition’s lost plane belonging to Frizinghall-born man located 99 years after it was last seen (Telegraph & Argus, Jan. 7)

China's expedition team reaches Antarctic inland peak (Chinaview.cn, Jan. 6)

Medicine & Health

'Shorter' people get more lung disease (BBC News, Jan. 8)

Autism clusters in California (ENN, Jan. 7)

Cell Phone Exposure May Protect Against and Reverse Alzheimer's Disease (Science Daily, Jan. 7)

Can a Person Freeze to Death? (Science Daily, Jan. 7)

Hospitals Could Stop Infections by Tackling Bacteria Patients Bring In, Studies Find (N.Y. Times, Jan. 6) Site requires free registration

A Drug’s Second Act: Battling Jet Lag (N.Y. Times, Jan. 6)

Peoples & Culture

Boys will be boys when it comes to toys (New Scientist, Jan. 8)

Cleopatra's eye make-up 'had health benefits' (BBC News, Jan. 8)

As Elvis Turns 75, Celebrity Worship Alive and Well (LiveScience, Jan. 7)

Vampires Among Us: From Bats to Psychics (Live Sciene, Jan. 7)

Natural Disasters & Weather

Fla.'s Big Chill: Iguanas drop, manatees huddle (Yahoo!/AP, Jan. 8)

Warmer Climate Could Stifle Carbon Uptake by Trees, Study Finds (Science Daily, Jan. 8)

Europe shivers in winter chill (Terra Daily, Jan. 7)

In Darkest WInter Night Tornadoes Can Strike (ENN, Jan. 7)

Global and U.S. Hazards/Climate Extremes (updated weekly on Wednesdays)

Earthweek: A Diary of the Planet [pdf] (updated late Fridays)

People & Places in the News

Turner bid for Yellowstone bison draws protest (Yahoo!/AP, Jan. 8)

New Jersey protects more open space from development (ENN, Jan. 7)

Anti-whaling activists accuse Japan fleet of attack (BBC News, Jan.6)

Japan survivor of both atomic bombs dies, aged 93 (BBC News, Jan. 6)

Deal Signed to Protect Ancient Art in Utah Canyon (ABC News, Jan. 6)

Plants & Animals

Polar Bears Changing Habitat in Response to Sea Ice Conditions (Science Daily, Jan. 7)

Parasite nibbling reef fish find punishing others pays (BBC News, Jan. 7)

Coral reefs are evolution hotspot (BBC News, Jan. 7)

Female toads inflate to avoid sex (BBC News, Jan. 6)

All Creatures' Calls Are Somewhat Alike (Live Science, Jan. 6)

Science & Technology

Robot border guards to patrol future frontiers (New Scientist, Jan. 8)

'Most beautiful' math structure appears in lab for first time (New Scientist, Jan. 8)

Silencing Brain Cells With Yellow and Blue Light (Science Daily, Jan. 7)

Quantum Simulation of a Relativistic Particle (Science Daily, Jan. 7)

Astronomers Unveil Images of 12-Billion-Year-Old Space Nursery (Science Daily, Jan. 7)

Pi calculated to 'record number' of digits (BBC News, Jan. 6)

Space

Astronomers: We could find Earth-like planets soon (Yahoo!/AP, Jan. 7)

Ghost galaxies may haunt the Milky Way (New Scientist, Jan. 7)

First Earth-Like Planet Spotted Outside Solar System Likely a Volcanic Wasteland (Science Daily, Jan. 7)

Milky Way's Magnetic Attraction Ten Times Stronger Than Rest of Galaxy (Science Daily, Jan. 7)

Super-Earth 'began as gas giant' (BBC News, Jan. 7)

Lectures, Meetings, & Conferences

Sources:

Conference Calendar for Zoology (BIOSIS)

Meridian International Center Events

National Academy of Sciences Events

National Air and Space Museum Events

National Journal Daybook [includes environment-related events in Washington]

National Museum of Natural History Events

National Press Club

Smithsonian Resident Associate Programs